ICC looks to prop up Tests in face of Twenty20 onslaught

Concerned by dwindling spectator interest in Test matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday said it was looking into ways to jazz up the long version of the game.

"We are quite concerned at lack of spectator interest in Tests," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said here at a press conference.

"We at ICC are very clear about preserving the primacy of Test cricket. We want to promote and protect this form of the game and we are looking at it very seriously," he said without providing details.

"We get evidence of interest in Test matches from attendance of spectators at the ground. Bangalore had a great crowd but we are certainly disappointed by the crowd numbers in Mohali."

Only a quarter of the stadium was full here on the first day of the second Test between India and Australia on Friday which saw Sachin Tendulkar break the record of West Indian Brian Lara for most Test runs.

The same stadium though was packed during the Twenty20 matches of the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, a fact not lost on Lorgat.

"It is indeed a challenge for us because the attraction in the shorter form of the game is indeed very strong.

"It is a challenge not only for the ICC but also the member boards to convert that attraction into the longer form of the game."

Lorgat said the ICC would consider whether a window could be created for the IPL to avoid a clash with Tests.

"The member boards are committed to primacy of Test cricket. We haven't discussed a window for IPL till now. We will see how the second edition of the IPL unfolds."

A clash of dates with IPL has already put Sri Lanka's tour of England next year in jeopardy with some of the tourists' top players contracted to the IPL.

"A series of discussions is going on over Sri Lanka's England tour. The Lankan board is committed to tour England and the English board is also very keen to host them. We are keeping a close watch on this," Lorgat said.

The ICC chief also said it was awaiting a report from the Indian board on the status of its talks with the rival Indian Cricket League (ICL).

"We are yet to receive a report from them on the outcome of their meeting with ICL. We are not mediating between IPL and ICL at this stage. We are also in the process of dealing with the ICL application on recognition."

The ICL, involving Twenty20 matches between club sides, is not sanctioned by the Indian Cricket Board and players linked to it have been banned by their respective boards.

Lorgat ducked questions on whether it was right for the ICC to sanction IPL while banning the rival league.

"Players have a right to choose where they want to play. We have regulations in place. They should know the consequences of their choice," he said.